Time to play on Opening Day

Charles D. Owen Babe Ruth League tees up for 2024 spring season

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
April 20, 2024

A palpable buzz of anticipation filled the air around Veterans Park, April 19 and 20, as hundreds of Swannanoa Valley youth celebrated the start of the spring baseball and softball season. 

The Charles D. Owen Babe Ruth League hosted a full schedule of 13 games for its 2024 Opening Day.

Approximately 325 local children, from ages 3 - 13, are registered with the nonprofit organization this season, which began in early April. While the league has played a total of around 20 games, the symbolic kickoff to the campaign was delayed a week due to rain.

Seven softball teams, ranging from 6U to 12U, faced off Friday evening on four fields, while 18 baseball teams, beginning with Biddy Ball, the following day. Owen Babe Ruth served free hot dogs, chips and drinks to celebrate the occasion.

“Opening Day is the official kickoff for baseball and softball every year,” said league league treasurer Tyler Atkins. “It’s the one time we schedule an entire day of games, so everyone in the league can get together and catch up and cheer for each other’s kids. Everybody is always really excited to get out and get started.”

The spring regular season will continue through the end of May, followed by all-star competition in the summer.

"Our high-performance players are able to travel around a little bit and play some more softball and baseball for district and state titles,” Atkins said. “It’s like an extended season that takes them through summer until fall ball starts up, which is around the time school starts back.”

Owen Babe Ruth teams will compete against other districts throughout Western N.C., regularly hosting competition on their home fields at Veterans Park.

Photos of the 2024 Charles D. Owen Babe Ruth Opening Day can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.